If women can worship God in their small pooja ghars, they are fully qualified to do so in bigger homes of God, says AJIT KUMAR BISHNOI
Recently, there has been a raging controversy about the bar on women’s entry at the Shani Shingnapur temple. Then, there is also this question of who should be priests there. The trustees of the temple do not wish to permit appointment of women as priests, while the activists insist that there should be women priests as well.
The following principle has been enunciated by one of the mediators and that is, “Everybody, irrespective of gender, has equal right to worship and, therefore, there should be no discrimination.” This personality has also informed that nowhere in our scriptures is it written that women should not enter temples. If such was the injunction, then women would not have been allowed inside India’s biggest temple — the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
How do you resolve this matter, which is hogging a lot of media attentionIJ I feel it should be easily possible if we go to the basics. Whose home is a templeIJ The answer obviously is: Of a God or Goddess. In the case of Shani Shingnapur temple, it is of Shani Maharaj — one of the nine grahas. In all other temples also, there is one or even multiple deities. They are established there by properly chanting of mantras, etc. Then, such places become temples or more accurately homes for such Gods and Goddesses. So should they not decide about who should enter or who should notIJ I am sure everyone will agree that it is them who should decide.
Fortunately, they have already decided and informed us too. I will not refer to many scriptures because just one text, which is well known to everyone and is accepted as the most sacred, should suffice. You must have guessed that I am referring to the Bhagavad Gita — the book of eternal wisdom spoken by lord Krishna. Why, then, should we make new rules or continue with the existing ones if they are in violation of God’s injunctionsIJ Will that not be offensive to GodIJ Who are we to make rules for God’s homeIJ
We need answers to the following questions. One, who can enter a templeIJ Two, who can do service to God or GoddessesIJ Three, in what capacityIJ What restrictions, if any, should be imposedIJ Such restrictions could apply to men, women, non-Hindus, lower castes, etc.
Again we have to go to the basics as emphasised in the Bhagavad Gita. Men, women, non-Hindus and lower castes are all souls and nothing else. They have different material bodies, which are temporary, ie such bodies keep changing. So if we go by how the lord has identified us, everyone without any discrimination should be allowed entry into all temples.
By the way, lord Krishna has stated in no uncertain terms that such knowledge by which one sees one undivided imperishable soul in all beings, even though they are divided, know that knowledge to be in goodness. (18.20)
Therefore, one question is irrevocably decided and that is allowing of all into temples, as also spoken by the mediating personality. But some secondary questions remain. Why were restrictions imposed on femalesIJ Similarly, why lower castes or foreigners are banned in some templesIJ Regarding all of them, it must have been the question of cleanliness. Believe me, I have almost found it impossible to walk alongside some of the persons who serve in temples, because they stink so badly. Why is cleanliness a rule for others onlyIJ There are many secretions from human bodies. Even after a thorough bath, the human body cannot be one hundred percent clean. Then, what will you say to the stored urine and stool in a human body at all times in various quantitiesIJ
The next question was regarding service in a temple. The answer is: Who mostly worship deities in homesIJ How can then women become unfit to worship God in bigger pooja ghars or templesIJ And if women can provide service to God in their small pooja ghars, they are fully qualified to do so in bigger homes of God. Finally, what restrictions, if any should be imposedIJ The answer is anyone, which includes Hindu males, should be as clean as is practically possible. I hope the real devout will not question what rules God has set for us.
Bishnoi is a spiritual writer and can be reached at spiritual@ajitbishnoi.com